Web programming tools

[eric.allen.engle at justice.com]

> Richard MacLemale wrote:

> It was drop dead stupid
> > simple to use.  And no one ended up using it.
> > 
> > I didn't understand why.  So the following year, I
> did the same thing only I
> > used a web page interface with 4 text fields and
used
> a cgi script
> > (metacard) to generate the page.  So teachers would
> essentially put in their
> > name and password, go to this web page, fill in the
4
> fields, and click the
> > "submit" button.  Instead of zero percent faculty
> use, I got more like 40%.
> > It was the SAME DAMN THING only web based.

This is exactly why I think linking MetaCard/RunTime
Revolution to the internet is so crucial to the future.
Fundamentally the two environments do the same thing:
present hypertext, and allow it to be manipulated. One
does it simply and transparently (xTalk) the other does
it badly and complexly. However the fact is that the
simpler uglier standard (the internet) prevailed (at
least for now, heh heh...)

I would really really like to see a server side plugin
that would let me do this
<script language="metaTalk">...

And being able to read web pages as STACKS. 
Why? BECAUSE I CAN AUTOMATICALLY AND READILY MANIPULATE
A STACK AND ITS TEXT thats why. (sorry for shouting, 
'twas an important point though).

The key weakness to the web, from my perspective, is
the lack of a command line. In hyperCard I just
control-m and voila I can programmatically do whatever
I want. Same as in metaCard. But in HTML? 

I have actually looked at trying to emulate the command
box with javascript. Please don't laugh at me. I am not
saying it CANNOT be done. I actually think it could be
(if anyone knows links to such a tool please tell me).
BookMarklets even somewhat get there.

But just figuring out the message passing hierarchy
alone, and then sending a message to the right
target... well, really, why should I break my teeth on
this problem - I'm a teacher and HAVE to publish. Only
so much time in the day etc.

So that is why I think that even though you can do
eveything in hypertext with HTML/JS/Flash/Perl that I
prefer xTalk - it is, for me at least, more transparent.

But, for now at least, metaCard remains of the opinion
that plugins for browsers are a bad idea.

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